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AIBU?

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To think these driving instructors were teaching students wrong?

32 replies

HerNeighbourTotoro · 27/06/2025 17:18

I live near a road that is one of the routes popular with driving instructors.
The other day I was driving behind an L car (instructor and a student) and I wonder why he would teach a student to rive like this- or am I wrong?

The road is in many places wide enough for two cars driving from opposite directions to pass each other, but most of the time there is not a lot of traffic so you can comfortably drive in the middle'ish. There are cars parked on both sides, and on occasions if another car comes from the opposite direction there is plenty of space to pull up to the side to let them pass and then continue.

The L in front of me was however driving into every single bigger gap. There were no cars coming from the opposite direction (they are the red line on the diagram, except the road is long so there were loads of these). The first time I thought they were parking but didnt have the indicator on, but then they pulled out in front of me, they kept on doing that the whole length of the road, slowing down each time and then driving to the end of the 'gap' and pulling out. Also driving between 5-10 mph.

Scenario B:
Driving behind another L, with one other car behind me. Every time a car would come from the opposite direction the L would instantly pull up to make room for the upcoming car... except that there were two cars behind them- me and the person behind me, with often nowhere to go. I was always taught to assess, if there is a 'single' car coming from the opposite direction and 1 or more from the other, then whichever side had fewer cars tries to make space for the side that has more cars on their side- obviously depending on the room you and they have (so if we have 2 cars and loads of space and the other car doesnt, we make room, etc). This L was however pulling into tiny gaps every time a car appeared on the horizon, even though they had two cars behind, and the one car coming from the opposite direction had much more space on their side, leaving me and the guy behind me puzzled and either hoping that the oncoming car would clock in and make room for us or everyone getting stuck if they were too close and then trying to reverse into another gap. After 4th time (!) when the L pulled up I just drove by, the guy behind me followed, so we left the L behind, the oncoming car made room for us without problems and we continued our journey without the L blocking us. I just wondered if this is something that is being taught to learners here?

To think these driving instructors were teaching students wrong?
OP posts:
AngelicInnocent · 27/06/2025 17:38

Don't forget that learners are learning to pass the test. Actually learning to drive, read the roads/situations etc happens after you have your licence.

MeringueOutang · 27/06/2025 17:29

I can't tell if you mean they were pulling into every little rocky passing place (incorrect) or pulling left every time the road was wide enough to do so (correct). Presumably the driving instructor was taking them down this road to teach them; if they were going at 5-10mph, it must be very early in their set of lessons. I highly doubt any instructor would just tell a learner to purposely drive incorrectly.

akkakk · 27/06/2025 17:29

You are correct - your driving is much more situationally aware and uses the context to determine what to do... learners are probably not at your level yet - I would certainly expect the first to be corrected, every time you move away from directly ahead is a hazard, so they are introducing hazards... I wouldn't necessarily expect the learner in the second situation to drive as you suggest as a learner - so you probably need to compensate - I would simply give more space behind them...

Doggymummar · 27/06/2025 17:29

Surely they were pulling in to let you pass?

Jabberwok · 27/06/2025 17:28

Teaching good habits as so many drivers do not look a head and anticipate what is going to happen or even to keep to the left hand side.

Plus I think the requirements have changed. My mate is an ex police driver, his son is learning and he took him out. Son drove through pot holes rather than around he said he was told to do this as it's dangerous to go around on the other side of the road

KnickerlessFlannel · 27/06/2025 17:27

I think the learner and I structure are correct and that you aren't.

BlueMum16 · 27/06/2025 17:23

A - why would you drive down the middle of the road and not keep left?

B - why are you driving that close that you couldn't pull in before a parked car?